Improvement in band-cutting forks



y DAVID ARNOLD.

Improvement in Band-Cutting Forks. No. 125,926. PatemedApruzsnaz.'

QfFFICE.

,DAVID ARNOLD, OF WEST LODI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BAND-CUTTING FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,926, dated April 23, 1872.

Specification describing a new and Improved Band-Cutting Fork, invented by DAVID AR- NOLD, of Test Lodi, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio.

Figure l represents a side view of my 'nnproved band-cutting fork. Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section through the holding ferrule. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe plain knife attachment; Fig. 4, a face view of the lower spring-fork; and Fig. 5, a perspective view ofthe main fork and cutter.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improved fork which has an attachment for cutting the bands of grain-sheaves, and other attachments for holding the cut band and the sheaf while the same are on the fork. In feedingsheaves of wheat, etc., to thrashingmachines it is important to h ave the bands cut promptly prior to the entry of the sh eafinto themachine. This object I attain by the use, on the main fork, of a knife and yielding fork, and also by a peculiar kind of main fork.

A in the drawing represents the handle, B the ferrule, and O C the prongs of a pitch-fork. D is a V ,shaped..lniie, whose shan'k',@,\` is f1tted,thr`ugh an ear, h, that projects from the .ferule, and is held there by a clampscrew, d,

or other means. The knife D is broader than the dista-nce between the prongs O, and lits,

at Fig. l in dotted lines. In an ear, b, of the.

ferrule, or otherwise, is also held the shank e of a smaller close-pron ged fork, E, which is below the main fork O, as shown. I prefer to make the small fork E yieldingagainst a spring, f, so as to adjust itself to the size of the shea-f. The detachable knife may have the form shown at F, Fig. 3, and may, as before stated, be placed above the fork O or in the position shown at D, having also either a straight or bent shank. The detachable knife may be secured to a common pitch-fork by the ear h and setscrew, or by other equivalent means. Y

When a fork made substantially like the one described-that is to say, provided with the parts O, D, and E, or E and F, attached to a common pitch-fork-is applied to a sheaf in a position to bringthe knife at right angles across the band wherewith such sheafis tied, the knife will, after the prongs O have entered the sheaf some distance, commence to cut the band. The

small fork E will, at the vsame time, enter the band below the fork C, yielding to the progress ofthe cutter, though not necessarily.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcntl. The two forks O E and intermediate knife D, combined and arranged uponacolnmon handle, A, as and for the purpose described.

2. In band-cutting forks, the fork E, provided with and supported against a spring, f, as and for the purpose described.

3. The detachable knife, combined, substantially as described, with a common pitchfork, for the purpose herein set forth.

DAVID ARNOLD.

Witnesses JOSEPH EICHHORN, TP. N. SCHUYLER. 

